A-Biodiversity-Conservation-Assessment-for-Lake-Superior-Vol-1-Final-Draft-Updated-March2015

Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 A Biodiversity Conservation Assessment for Lake Superior Volume 1: Lakewide Assessment Prepared by the Superior Work Group of the Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan Final Draft: June 2013 Updated: March 2015 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Cover photo credits Clockwise From upper left – Rainbow Falls Provincial Park Photo Credit: Bill Caulfeild-Browne; Fall Satellite Image of Lake Superior Image Credit: NOAA; Sunset over Lake Superior shoreline in Lake Superior Provincial Park Photo credit: Ethan Meleg; Raspberry Island Lighthouse, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Photo Credit: National Parks Service; Sea Kayaks on Lake Superior Shore at Agawa Rock Pictograph Site, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario Photo Credit: Ethan Meleg; Commercial harvest of Cisco from Lake Superior, date unknown Photo Credit: North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum Recommended citation Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan (LAMP) - Superior Work Group 2013 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment 130 pp (Updated March 2015) Disclaimer This report reflects the best efforts of the preparers (Dan Kraus and Megan Ihrig) to accurately represent and interpret the available expertise and information on Lake Superior and the views and opinions of the project participants Every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this study has been taken We welcome suggestions for improvements Volume 2: Regional Summaries Please note that this report includes two volumes Volume contains regional summaries and maps that are referred to in this document It is recognized that many regions contain additional information and mapping on biodiversity and threats that could not be fully reflected in this report Wherever possible, regional and local data and spatial information on biodiversity targets and threats has been noted in the text Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Acknowledgements This report has been prepared by a project Steering Committee from the Superior Work Group (SWG) of the Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan (LAMP) with coordination and support from the Nature Conservancy of Canada The Steering Committee members included: 1854 Treaty Authority: Tyler Kaspar Environment Canada: Rob Hyde Environmental Protection Agency: Elizabeth LaPlante Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission: Ann McCammon Soltis, Jennifer Vanator Michigan Department of Environmental Quality: Matt Preisser, Stephanie Swart Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: John Jereczek National Park Service: Joan Elias (retired) Nature Conservancy of Canada: Megan Ihrig, Dan Kraus Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry: Marilee Chase, Neil Dawson, Sue Greenwood (retired), Kyle Rogers Parks Canada: Ray Boudreau U.S Fish and Wildlife Service: Henry Quinlan USDA Forest Service: Mark Fedora USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: Dana Raines Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: Cherie Hagen, Michele Wheeler The Steering Committee acknowledges the valuable input provided by the following reviewers: Andrew Ecclestone Julie Van Stappen Cyrus Hester Naomi Tillison Tom Gorenflo Mike Ripley Laurie Wood Katheryne O'Connor Daryl Seip Scott Millard Tom Pratt Nancy Schuldt Seth Moore Lucinda Johnson Sigrid Smith Erin Johnston George Beck Anne Hokanson Stephanie Swart William Taft David Caroffino Amy Clark Eagle Christopher Hoving Glenn Palmgren Phil Schneeberger Shawn Sitar Sue Tangora Bruce Carlson Maya Hamady Ethan Perry Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority; St Marys River Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority; St Marys River Environment Canada Environment Canada/ Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada/ Canadian Wildlife Service Emeritus, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Environmental Program Grand Portage Band of Chippewa Great Lake Environmental Indicators Project/ University of Minnesota Great Lakes Environmental Assessment and Mapping Project Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan Department of Natural Resources Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Minnesota Department of Natural Resources i Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Annie Bracey Gerald Niemi Tom Beechey James Duncan Nick Lapointe Chris Maher Wasyl Bakowsky Mike Oldham Don Sutherland Brenda Koenig Christine Drake Cavan Harpur Chantal Vis Matthew Hudson Carl Lindquist Mary Khoury Doug Pearsall Linda Wires Sue Eggert Dale Higgins Gary Czypinski Brian Huberty Janet Keough Daniel Yule Gary Caspar Kate Barrett William Blust Diane Daulton Andrew Fayram Lynelle Hanson Martin Jennings Frank Koshere Steve LaValley Ryan Magana Ryan O'Connor Paul Piszczek Peter Stevens Fred Strand Scott Toshner Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth Nature Conservancy of Canada Nature Conservancy of Canada Nature Conservancy of Canada Nature Conservancy of Canada Ontario Natural Heritage Information Center Ontario Natural Heritage Information Center Ontario Natural Heritage Information Center Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Parks Canada Parks Canada Parks Canada Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, Northland College Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Trust The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy University of Minnesota U.S Forest Service U.S Forest Service Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest U.S Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service U.S Dept of Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service U.S Environmental Protection Agency U.S Geological Survey University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Field Station Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Mapping and spatial analysis was completed by Andrea Hebb and Gary White of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Sarah Perkins from Battelle kindly supported collecting expert information in the webinars Special thanks to the amazing NCC team that supported the project website and communications with our Lake Superior experts and project administration: Nadia Alam, Christine Beevis-Trickett, Quincin Chan, Wendy Cridland, James Duncan, Craig Easton, Shane Eisenberg, Teva Harrison, Rebecca Hull, Dana Kleniewski, Lynda Kosalle, Chris Maher, Mhairi McFarlane, Laura Mousseau, Luc Thomas & Chuck Van Kempen Funding for this project is from Environment Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada ii Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment Executive Summary Lake of the Great Waters Lake Superior is unique among the world’s freshwater lakes Situated at the top of the chain of the Great Lakes, it is the world’s largest freshwater lake by area It is also the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes, with a maximum depth of 406 metres Because of its massive size, Lake Superior has a retention period of 191 years Despite its northern location, the lake rarely completely freezes over due to the enormous mass of water, even in the coldest winters It is also a lake of extraordinary biodiversity, supporting endemic and disjunct fishes, a unique deepwater form of Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush), diverse coastal wetlands, extensive sandy beaches and the cool coastlines and islands harbor arctic-alpine plants and Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) Lake Superior Coast (Photo by Ethan Meleg) Developing a Biodiversity Conservation Assessment for Lake Superior Developing the Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment was identified by the binational Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan (LAMP) as an important tool to better integrate biodiversity objectives into current lake management, and to support implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) This assessment project will support the development of a conservation strategy for Lake Superior A project team from the Lake Superior LAMP first developed a draft report based on a review of existing information The assessment of biodiversity target health and the ranking of threats were done through the Conservation Action Planning framework This framework has also been used to develop biodiversity conservation strategies for Lake Ontario (2009), Lake Huron (2010), Lake Michigan (2012) and Lake Erie (2012) The project scope includes the open waters of the lake, islands, coastal areas and the watersheds of tributaries with a focus on how they affect the biodiversity of the lake The draft biodiversity conservation assessment (biodiversity targets, threats, regional summaries) was shared with experts for their review and comment This included webinars that provided an introduction to the project, and a series of webinars based on the biodiversity targets and regional summaries Over 80 Lake Superior experts reviewed and contributed to the document Key changes resulting from expert review included updates to the viability and threats analysis and the addition of key information to the regional summaries iii Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 The Health of Lake Superior Seven conservation targets were selected that encompass the biodiversity of Lake Superior These include aquatic, coastal, and watershed targets that have many species and habitats nested within them The health of these biodiversity targets was assessed based on SOLEC indicators, with some modifications The overall viability assessment for Lake Superior is “good” - the lake is in a state of health that is within the natural range of variation, but some management intervention may be required for some elements The biodiversity conservation target that had the lowest viability was watersheds and tributaries While nearshore and embayments are in “good” health, they are approaching the threshold for “fair” For many of the coastal habitats (aquatic and terrestrial) and watersheds, there is a high degree of regional variation in target condition To better illustrate these regional differences, stress/condition indices were mapped for watersheds (Great Lakes Environmental Indicators [GLEI] 2013), lake waters (Great Lakes Environmental Assessment and Mapping [GLEAM] 2012; Allan et al 2013) and coastal areas (analysis completed for this project) Information on biodiversity health, threats and important habitat areas is also provided for 20 regional units around the lake Summary of Biodiversity Conservation Targets and Health for Lake Superior Deepwater and Offshore Waters: Benthic and pelagic waters that are >80 m in depth Nearshore Zone and Reefs: Coastal areas that are between 15-80 m in depth, and shallow reefs Embayments and Inshore: Embayments and the inshore zone at depths of 0-15m Coastal Wetlands: Wetlands within km of Lake Superior’s coast, with an emphasis on wetlands that have historic and current hydrologic connectivity to, and are directly influenced by the lake Islands: All land masses that are surrounded by water, including both natural and artificial islands Coastal Terrestrial Habitats: Habitats within km from the coast or to the extent of delineation Tributaries and Watersheds: All rivers, streams and inland lakes that flow into Lake Superior and their associated watersheds Overall Health GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD FAIR Threats and Conservation Issues The overall threat rank for Lake Superior is “high” This is Ranked Threats to Lake Superior’s Biodiversity driven by a high rating for climate change, aquatic invasive species, and dams and barriers These threats rank the highest Aquatic Invasive Species High because they impact many targets over a wide area and, in Climate Change High some cases, are very difficult to reverse These high ranking threats generally reflect SOLEC “pressure” indicators that have Dams and Barriers High been assessed as poor and declining including climate change Atmospheric Deposition (i.e., ice duration) and aquatic invasive species Medium The biodiversity conservation targets with the highest threat ratings are: the nearshore zone and reefs, embayments and inshore, coastal wetlands, and tributaries and watersheds These systems generally have the highest numbers of threats and are susceptible to aquatic invasive species, climate change and the continued habitat impacts of dams and barriers Coastal Development Medium Incompatible Forestry Medium Mining Medium Non-point Source Pollution Medium Terrestrial Invasive Species Medium Next Steps This biodiversity conservation assessment is intended to summarize the best available information on Lake Superior’s biodiversity and provide an analysis on health and threats This information will be used by the Lake Superior LAMP in the development of a biodiversity conservation strategy in 2014 iv Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table of Contents Acknowledgements i Executive Summary iii Table of Contents v Introduction 1.1 Kitchi-gummi - Lake of the Great Waters 1.2 Objectives and Project Scope 1.3 Approach and Methods 2.0 Biodiversity Conservation Targets 10 2.1 Deepwater and Offshore Waters 18 2.2 Nearshore Zone and Reefs 22 2.3 Embayments and Inshore 28 2.4 Coastal Wetlands 33 2.5 Islands 37 2.6 Coastal Terrestrial Habitats 43 2.7 Tributaries and Watersheds 49 3.0 Issues Impacting the Health of Lake Superior 54 3.1 Aquatic Invasive Species 57 3.2 Climate Change 59 3.3 Dams and Barriers 60 3.4 Atmospheric Deposition 62 3.5 Coastal Development 63 3.6 Incompatible Forestry 66 3.7 Mining 67 3.8 Non-point Source Pollution 70 3.9 Terrestrial Invasive Species 71 3.10 Other Threats and Emerging Issues 73 4.0 Regional Summaries 76 5.0 Next Steps 79 References 80 Appendix A: Spatial Data Catalogue and Methods 91 Appendix B: Lake Superior Indicators 98 Appendix C: Coastal Terrestrial Species and Habitats 110 Appendix D: Aquatic and Terrestrial Species from Lake Superior 119 Appendix E: Threat Rating Details 123 Appendix F: Regional Summaries 126 v Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Introduction 1.1 Gichigammi1 - Lake of the Great Waters Lake Superior is unique among the world’s freshwater lakes Situated at the top of the chain of the Great Lakes, it is the world’s largest freshwater lake by area and is rich in natural and human history (see Box 1.1) It is the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes, with an average depth of 147 meters and a maximum depth of 406 metres Because of its massive size, Lake Superior has a retention period of 191 years, the longest of all the Great Lakes Despite its northern location, the enormous mass of water in Lake Superior rarely completely freezes over, even in the coldest winters It is also a lake of extraordinary biodiversity, supporting endemic and disjunct fishes, a unique deepwater form of Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush), diverse coastal wetlands, extensive sandy beaches and the cool coastlines and islands harbor arctic-alpine plants and Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) While several areas and features of the lake have been altered by human activities, Lake Superior is the least impacted of all the Great Lakes, and many of its aquatic habitats, watersheds and coast remain healthy and intact (Table 1.1, Figure 1.1) Box 1.1: Ten Lake Superior Facts Everyone Should Know Gichigammi is the Ojibwe (also known as Chippewa or Anishinaabe) name for Lake Superior meaning “Great Waters” or “Great Lake” Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by area Lake Superior contains 10% of the world’s surface freshwater This is more water than all the other Great Lakes combined, and enough to flood all of North America under 30 cm of water Lake Superior has over 2,500 islands, including Caribou Island, the most isolated freshwater island in the world Some of these islands support colonies of the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Lake Superior has 6,479 km of coastline This is longer than the distance between St John’s, Newfoundland and Victoria, British Columbia Lake Superior’s coast and islands support one of North America’s southern-most populations of Woodland Caribou Lake Superior’s deep waters support a unique deep-bodied form of Lake Trout called “Siscowet” (Salvelinus namaycush siscowet) Some coastal areas of Lake Superior remain so cool through the summer that they support populations of arctic-alpine plants The Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, established in 2007, is the largest freshwater protected area in the world 10 Waves on Lake Superior can reach over 10 m in height A phenomenon known as the "Three Sisters", when a series of three successive large waves form, was implicated in the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in November 1975 The management and conservation of Lake Superior is unique in the Great Lakes The lake has large areas of public and protected lands, and First Nations and Tribes play an important role in managing the lake (Table 1.2, Figures 1.2 and 1.3) While several large protected areas have been established and much of the Lake Superior basin and coast is undeveloped, many coastal areas, particularly in the U.S., are in private ownership and facing increasing development pressures Many watersheds have high housing and road density as a result of urban areas, second homes and forestry (Figure 1.4) which can result in habitat loss and declining water quality The lake also has a number of legacy impacts including dams and toxic sites Dams have reduced access to river habitats for some migratory fishes, and some contaminants have persisted in the aquatic environment because of Lake Superior’s cold waters and slow growth rate of fishes Other key issues include aquatic invasive species, mining and climate change Despite these challenges, Lake Superior remains the most pristine of all the Great Lakes and provides an unparalleled global opportunity for binational conservation and maintaining biological reference sites in the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem This report provides a summary of the health and threats to the biodiversity of Lake Superior, and is intended to provide a starting-point to develop effective lakewide and place-based conservation strategies Also spelled “Kitchi-gummi " Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Figure 1.1: Land and Water Cover in the Lake Superior Basin Most of the Lake Superior basin is characterized by forests and inland waters, with less than 2% in urban and agricultural land use The Lake Superior basin has at least double the amount of natural cover compared to any of the other four Great Lakes (based on percentage cover) Urban areas are mainly associated with Duluth and Thunder Bay, and agricultural land use occurs mainly in Wisconsin in the southern portion of the basin Some additional agricultural land use may be associated with the “grass/brush” category (which also includes recently cut-over areas of forest) Table 1.1: Land and Water Cover in the Lake Superior Basin Cover Type Agriculture Bare ground Cloud shadow Conifer Conifer/hardwood Developed Grass/brush Hardwood Water Lake Superior Total Area (square km) 1,285 554 2,454 40,340 25,940 348 4,751 30,326 8,540 73,435 187,972 Percentage of Basin & Lake 0.68% 0.29% 1.31% 21.46% 13.80% 0.19% 2.53% 16.13% 4.54% 39.07% 100% Percentage of Basin (Land only) 1.12% 0.48% 2.14% 35.22% 22.65% 0.30% 4.15% 26.48% 7.46% NA 100% Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Figure 1.2: Land Protection and Management in the Lake Superior Basin Lake Superior has the largest coastal protected areas in the Great Lakes basin including Pukaskwa National Park, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Lake Superior Archipelago Conservation Reserve and Isle Royale National Park Over 10% of the basin and 30% of the coast is included in parks with strict protection Table 1.2: Summary of Protected Areas in the Lake Superior Basin Protected Area National Park State or Provincial Park / Conservation Reserve Conservation Authority/Non-Government Organization/ Land Trust/Municipal Park/ Wildlife Refuge/Wildlife Area 2 Area (km ) 2,661 8,448 1,800 Database incomplete Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Porpidia herteliana A Lichen 100.0% Potentilla hippiana Horse Cinquefoil 100.0% Potentilla pensylvanica Prairie cinquefoil 100.0% Potentilla pulcherrima Soft Cinquefoil 100.0% Primula mistassinica Bird's-eye Primrose 100.0% Protopannaria pezizoides Brown-gray Moss-shingle Lichen 100.0% Prunus pumila var pumila Sand Cherry 100.0% Rallus elegans King rail 100.0% Ramalina farinacea Lichen 100.0% Ranunculus macounii Macoun's buttercup 100.0% Rhizocarpon oederi A Lichen 100.0% Rhizomnium gracile A Moss 100.0% Sagina nodosa Pearlwort 100.0% Sagina nodosa ssp borealis Knotty Pearlwort 100.0% Sagittaria cristata Crested Arrowhead 100.0% Salix cordata Sand Dune Willow 100.0% Salix myricoides Blue-leaved Willow 100.0% Saxifraga oppositifolia Purple Mountain Saxifrage 100.0% Saxifraga tricuspidata Prickly saxifrage 100.0% Scapania degenii A Liverwort 100.0% Scapania gymnostomophila A Liverwort 100.0% Schistostega pennata Luminous Moss 100.0% Selaginella selaginoides Northern Spikemoss 100.0% Sphaerium fabale River fingernail clam 100.0% Splachnum luteum A Moss 100.0% Stellaria crassifolia Fleshy stitchwort 100.0% Stellaria longipes Stitchwort 100.0% Sympetrum corruptum Variegated Meadowhawk 100.0% Tanacetum bipinnatum Floccose Tansy 100.0% Tanacetum huronense Lake Huron tansy 100.0% Thalictrum venulosum Veined Meadowrue 100.0% Tofieldia pusilla False asphodel 100.0% Trimerotropis huroniana Lake Huron locust 100.0% Trisetum spicatum Downy oat-grass 100.0% Umbilicaria arctica A Lichen 100.0% Umbilicaria torrefacta Lichen 100.0% Vaccinium uliginosum Alpine Bilberry 100.0% Vaccinium vitis-idaea Mountain cranberry 100.0% Viola lanceolata var lanceolata Lance-leaved Violet 100.0% Pinguicula vulgaris Butterwort 96.7% Castilleja septentrionalis Northern Paintbrush 96.6% Senecio indecorus Northern ragwort 96.2% Euphrasia hudsoniana var ramosior Hudson Bay Eyebright 95.5% Poa alpina Alpine bluegrass 95.0% Listera auriculata Auricled Twayblade 93.9% Myriophyllum alterniflorum Alternate-leaved water-milfoil 93.8% Juniperus horizontalis Creeping Juniper 93.3% Oplopanax horridus Devil's Club 92.3% Shore fen Shore Fen 90.0% Lonicera involucrata Black twinberry 88.2% 116 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Viburnum edule Squashberry or mooseberry 88.2% Deschampsia flexuosa Slender Hairgrass 85.7% Polygonum viviparum Alpine bistort 85.7% Prosartes trachycarpa Northern fairy bells 85.7% Ribes oxyacanthoides Canada Gooseberry 85.7% Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 84.7% Carex lenticularis Shore Sedge 84.6% Anaptychia crinalis Hanging fringe lichen 83.3% Botrychium pseudopinnatum False Northwestern Moonwort 83.3% Draba arabisans Rock whitlow grass 83.3% Goodyera oblongifolia Giant Rattlesnake-plantain 83.3% Malaxis paludosa Bog Adder's-mouth 83.3% Oeneis macounii Macoun's Arctic 83.3% Ranunculus rhomboideus Prairie buttercup 83.3% Senecio eremophilus Desert Ragwort 83.3% Zizia aptera Heart-leaved Alexanders 83.3% Calypso bulbosa Calypso or fairy-slipper 81.4% Osmorhiza berteroi Chilean Sweet Cicely 80.6% Amerorchis rotundifolia Round-leaved Orchis 80.0% Chlidonias niger Black Tern 80.0% Diplophyllum taxifolium A Liverwort 80.0% Erigeron acris var kamtschaticus Bitter Fleabane 80.0% Gnaphalium sylvaticum Woodland everlasting 80.0% Ranunculus cymbalaria Seaside Crowfoot 80.0% Equisetum palustre Marsh Horsetail 78.9% Sterna hirundo Common Tern 78.9% Dermatocarpon reticulatum Lichen 75.0% Perimyotis subflavus Eastern Pipistrelle 75.0% Pisidium idahoense Giant northern pea clam 75.0% Huperzia appressa Mountain Firmoss 73.7% Vaccinium ovalifolium Oval-leaved Bilberry 72.7% Peltigera venosa Fan lichen 71.4% Allium schoenoprasum Chives 70.6% Botrychium hesperium Western Moonwort 70.0% Packera indecora Elegant Groundsel 70.0% Carex media Intermediate Sedge 69.7% Parnassia palustris Marsh Grass-of-Parnassus 69.2% Alces americanus Moose 66.7% Antennaria rosea Rosy Pussytoes 66.7% Armoracia lacustris Lake cress 66.7% Bryum blindii A Moss 66.7% Calamagrostis lacustris Marsh Reedgrass 66.7% Dryas drummondii Yellow Mountain Avens 66.7% Euchloe ausonides Large Marble 66.7% Falco columbarius Merlin 66.7% Galium kamtschaticum Bedstraw 66.7% Listera convallarioides Broad-leaved Twayblade 66.7% Martes americana American Marten 66.7% Myoxocephalus thompsoni Deepwater Sculpin 66.7% Planogyra asteriscus Eastern flat-whorl 66.7% 117 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Triglochin palustris Marsh Arrow-grass 66.7% Elymus glaucus Blue Wild Rye 65.4% Streptopus amplexifolius White Mandarin 65.1% Clematis occidentalis Purple clematis 64.9% Drosera anglica English Sundew 64.7% Woodsia glabella Smooth Woodsia 64.3% Huperzia selago Fir Clubmoss 64.0% Cystopteris laurentiana Laurentian Bladder Fern 63.6% Myotis septentrionalis Northern Long-eared Bat 62.5% Pterospora andromedea Pine-drops 61.1% Botrychium acuminatum Moonwort 60.0% Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted Hairgrass 60.0% Schoenoplectus torreyi Torrey's Bulrush 60.0% 118 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Appendix D: Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species from Lake Superior Source: All tables based on Minnesota Sea Grant (2012a) with updates Table D1 Reproducing and Non-Reproducing Non-Native Fish Common Name Scientific Name White Perch Morone americana Proterorhinus marmoratus Tubenose Goby Threespine Stickleback Sea Lamprey Round Goby Earliest Location Attributed Mechanism(s) 1986 St Louis River Ballast Water 2000 St Louis River Ballast Water Gasterosteus aculeatus 1987 Thunder Bay, ON Ballast Water Petromyzon marinus Neogobius melanostomus 1938 Two Harbors, MN Canals 1995 St Louis River Ballast Water W Lake Superior Stocked 1930 Whitefish Bay, E Lake Superior Canals 1956 Thunder Bay, ON Lower Michipicoten River; In nearshore waters west of Wawa Stocked Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss Rainbow Smelt Osmerus mordax Oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pink Salmon Earliest Record 1883 or 1895 th Freshwater Drum Fourspine Stickleback 10 Aplodinotus grunniens 18 century; 2007 Unknown, Stocked (assumed) 1986 Thunder Bay, ON Ballast Water or Live Bait Ruffe Apeltes quadracus Gymnocephalus cernua 1986 St Louis River Ballast Water Common Carp Cyprinus carpio 1897 Lake Superior, WI Stocked Coho Salmon 1966 Lake Superior, MI Stocked Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch Oncorhynchus tshawytscha 1967 Lake Superior, MI Stocked Brown Trout Salmo trutta 1883 Lake Superior, MI St Louis River, lower St Marys River Stocked E Lake Superior Canals Brook Silverside 11 Labidesthes sicculus 2002, 2007 1953 (or earlier) Unknown Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus American Eel Anguilla rostrata 1970 Brule River, WI Canals Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar 1972 Lake Superior, WI Stocked Kerr and Lasenby (2000) note that there is some confusion in the literature about when Rainbow Trout were first stocked into Lake Superior MacCrimmon and Gots (1972) report they were first introduced into Lake Superior in 1883 near Sault Ste Marie, while Lawrie and Rahrer (1973) report the first introduction was in Minnesota in 1895 (S Greenwood, pers comm., May 23 2013) 10 Academic review is need as to whether the Freshwater Drum is a native or non-native species Hudson Bay Company records from the 18th century note the presence of a fish species described as Freshwater Drum in fish food nets in the lower Michipicoten River This record, reported in Goodier (1984), is disputed by some based on the species description In 2007 a commercially caught Freshwater Drum was taken 40 kilometres west of Michipicoten Bay and given to the OMNR office in Wawa for identification verification Freshwater Drum may be native to eastern portions of Lake Superior, but there is not yet clear evidence of a reproducing population Minnesota Sea Grant (2012b) lists the attributed mechanism for introduction in the western arm of Lake Superior as stocked At this time the question rests on whether the species is a pan lake native and/or locally introduced (S Greenwood, pers comm., May 23 2013) 11 Academic review is needed as to whether the Brook Silverside is a native species that has previously been missed in fish surveys, or a nonnative that has been found in western Lake Superior through human mediated introduction A 2007 record of the Brook Silverside from the lower St Marys River and 2013 capture of Brook Silverside from the upper St Marys River suggests this species may be native to both the lower and upper portions (Superior waters) of the St Marys River (S Greenwood, pers comm., May 23 2013) 119 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table D2 Non-Native Aquatic Invertebrates Earliest Record Common Name Scientific Name Group Aquatic oligochaeta Paranais frici Oligochaeta Aquatic oligochaeta Pristina acuminata Oligochaeta Aquatic oligochaeta Oligochaeta Aquatic oligochaeta Ripistes parasita Vejdovskyella intermedia Asian Clam Corbicula fluminea Bosmonid Waterflea Eubosmina coregoni Zooplankton 1970s Ballast Water Calanoid copepod Eurytemora affinis Zooplankton 1960s Ballast Water Caspia hydroid Cordylophora caspia Zooplankton Cyclopoid copepod Cyclops strenuous Zooplankton Cyclopoid copepod European Fingernail Clam Magacyclops virdis Zooplankton Sphaerium corneum Bivalve European Valve Snail Valvata piscinalis Snail 1985 St Louis River Ballast Water or Aquaria Gammarid amphipod Gammarus fasciatus Echinogammarus ischnus Zooplankton 2001 Zooplankton 2001 Widespread Thunder Bay, ON Ballast Water Ballast Water, Packaging or Other Pisidium amnicum Bivalve 1985? St Louis River Ballast (Solid)? Henslows Pea Clam Hump-backed Pea Clam Pisidium henslowanum Bivalve 2005 St Louis River Ballast Water? Pisidium supinum Bivalve 2005 St Louis River Ballast Water? Lumholtz's Waterflea New Zealand Mudsnail Zooplankton 2005 Ballast Water? Snail 2001 St Louis River Thunder Bay, ON Pygmy Pea Clam Daphnia lumholtzi Potamopyrgus antipodarum Pisidium moitessierianum Bivalve 1985? St Louis River Ballast Water? Quagga Mussel Dreissena bugensis Bivalve 2005 Rusty Crayfish Crayfish 1991 Ballast Water Ballast Water, Live Bait, or Aquaria Zooplankton 1987 Testate amoeba Orconectes rusticus Bythotrephes longimanus Psammonobiotus communis Psammonobiotus dziwnowi St Louis River Thunder Bay, ON E Lake Superior, ON Tiger Sideswimmer Gammarus tigrinus Zooplankton 1985? St Louis River Ballast Water Tubificid worm Oligochaeta Tubificid worm Potamothrix bedoti Potamothrix moldaviensis Tubificid worm Potamothrix vejdovskyi Oligochaeta Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha Bivalve 1989 St Louis River Ballast Water Gammarid amphipod Greater European Pea Clam Spiny Waterflea Testate amoeba Earliest Location Attributed Mechanism(s) 1987 Thunder Bay, ON Ballast Water Oligochaeta 1980 Unknown Ballast Water? Bivalve 1999 St Louis River Ballast Water Ballast Water? Ballast Water Ballast Water Zooplankton Zooplankton Oligochaeta 120 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table D3 Diseases and Parasites Common Name Scientific Name Group Bacterial kidney disease Corynebacterium ssp Fish disease Fluke Earliest Record 1975 (or earlier) Fish parasite 1986 Fluke Dactylogirus amphibothrium Dactylogirus hemiamphibothrium Fish parasite 1986 Fluke Ichthyocotylurus pileatus Fish parasite 1995 Fluke Timoniella spp Fish parasite Fluke, trematode Furunculosis, also known as Aeromonas salmonicida Necascus brevicaudatus Fish parasite Earliest Location Attributed Mechanism(s) Fish disease St Louis River St Louis River St Louis River Fish disease Fish parasite Fish parasite Fish parasite Fish disease Parasite Sphaeromyxa sevastopoli Fish parasite 1995 Parasite Tryponasoma acerinae Fish parasite 1986 Parasite (microsporidian) Glugea herwigi Fish parasite 1930s Parasitic Copepod Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Salmincola lotae Fish parasite Novihabdovirus spp Fish virus Whirling disease Myxobolus cerebralis Fish disease Yellow Perch parasite Heterosporis spp Fish parasite St Louis River St Louis River Fish parasite Fish parasite Fish parasite Fish disease Table D4 Non-Native Algae Common Name Group Diatom Scientific Name Actinocyclus normanii fs subsalsa Diatom Cyclotella atomus Diatom Diatom Cyclotella pseudostelligera Diatom Diatom Skeletonema potamos Diatom Diatom Thalassiosira baltica Diatom Diatom Thalassiosira seissflogii Red algae Bangia atropurpurea Diatom Red algae Earliest Record Earliest Location Attributed Mechanism(s) Diatom 121 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table D5 Non-Native Aquatic and Wetland Plants Common Name Curlyleaf Pondweed Eurasian Watermilfoil Water-cress Barnyard Grass Bitter Dock Bittersweet Nightshade Bur Reed Scientific Name Potamogeton crispus Myriophyllum spicatum Rorippa nasturtiumaquaticum Echinochloa crusgalli Group Rumex obtusifolius Flower Solanum dulcamara Sparganium glomeratum Flower Grass Reed Woody plant Crack Willow Creeping Yellow Cress European Brooklime Salix fragilis Rorippa sylvestris Veronica beccabunga Flower Field Sow Thistle Flower Indian Balsam Sonchus arvensis Impatiens glandulifera Lupine Lupinus polyphyllus Flower Marsh Thistle Narrow-leaved Cattail Oak-leaved Goose Foot Cirsium palustre Flower Typha angustifolia Chenopodium glaucum Cattail Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria Flower Redtop Rough-stalked Meadow Grass Agrostis gigantean Grass Poa trivalis Polygonum persicaria Myosotis scorpioides Grass Watermint Western Water Horehound Metha aquatica Flower Lycopus asper White Willow Salix alba Flower Woody plant Yard Dock Rumex longifolius Flower Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus Flower Yellow Loosestrife Lysimachia vulgaris Flower Common Reed Phragmites australis Grass Spotted Knapweed True Forget-me-not Earliest Record 1988, 1996 1996 1985 (or earlier) 1972 (or earlier) 1985 (or earlier) Chequamegon Bay, WI Attributed Mechanism(s) With Fish or Recreational Boats Aquaria or Recreational Boats E Lake Superior, MI Cultivation E Lake Superior, MI Cultivation 1936 1985 (or earlier) 1985 (or earlier) Superior Bay Earliest Location Knife River Marina, MN; Washburn Harbor, WI E Lake Superior, MI E Lake Superior, MI Cultivation E Lake Superior, MI Ballast (solid)? E Lake Superior, MI Grand Marais, MN, Lake Superior, ON Cultivation 1982 1990 (or earlier) 1972 (or earlier) 1985 (or earlier) Beaver Bay, MN Cultivation E Lake Superior, MI Canals or Cultivation Railroads or Highways 1907 1972 (or earlier) Duluth, MN Cultivation E Lake Superior, MI Cultivation Flower Flower Flower Flower Flower 1996 (or earlier) 1984, 1998 1989 (or earlier) 1989 (or earlier) 1901 Cultivation E Lake Superior, MI E Lake Superior, MI Sugar Loaf, MN Widespread Cultivation Isle Royale, MI Cultivation recent 122 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Appendix E: Threat Rating Details Embayments and Inshore Threat Scope Severity Irreversibility Summary Threat Rating Oil Spills from Shipping and Refining Low High Medium Incompatible Fisheries Management High Medium Low Low Coastal Development Medium Medium Very High High Dams and Barriers High High High Point Source Pollution Medium Medium High Atmospheric Deposition Very High Medium Medium Medium Wind Energy Development Low Medium Medium Low Aquatic Invasive Species High Medium Very High High Non-point Source Pollution Medium Medium Medium Medium Climate Change Medium Medium Very High High Mining High Medium High Medium Medium Low Medium Nearshore Zone and Reefs Threat Scope Severity Irreversibility Summary Threat Rating Oil Spills from Shipping and Refining Low Medium Medium Low Incompatible Fisheries Management High Medium Medium Medium Coastal Development Low High Very High Medium Dams and Barriers High High Medium High Point Source Pollution Low Medium High Atmospheric Deposition Very High Medium Medium Medium Wind Energy Development Low Medium Medium Low Aquatic Invasive Species High Medium Very High High Climate Change Medium Low Medium Non-point Source Pollution Medium Medium Medium Medium Mining High Medium High Medium Very High Low 123 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Islands Threat Terrestrial Invasive Species Scope Severity Irreversibility Summary Threat Rating Medium Medium Medium Medium Oil Spills from Shipping and Refining Low Medium Medium Low Coastal Development Low Medium Very High Medium Climate Change Medium Medium Very High High Mining Low Low Medium High Deepwater and Offshore Waters Threat Scope Severity Irreversibility Summary Threat Rating Incompatible Fisheries Management High Medium Low Low Point Source Pollution Low Medium High Low Atmospheric Deposition Very High Medium Medium Medium Aquatic Invasive Species High Medium Very High High Climate Change Medium Low Medium Very High Coastal Wetlands Threat Terrestrial Invasive Species Scope Medium Severity Irreversibility Summary Threat Rating High Medium Medium Oil Spills from Shipping and Refining Low Medium Medium Low Coastal Development Low High Medium Dams and Barriers Low Medium Medium Low Point Source Pollution Low Medium High Low Atmospheric Deposition Very High Medium Medium Medium Non-point Source Pollution Medium Medium Medium Medium Climate Change Medium Medium Very High High Aquatic Invasive Species High Medium Very High High Mining Low High Low Very High Medium 124 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Tributaries and Watersheds Threat Terrestrial Invasive Species Scope Medium Oil Spills from Shipping and Refining Low Severity Irreversibility Summary Threat Rating Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Low Dams and Barriers Very High High Medium Point Source Pollution Low Medium High Low Incompatible Forestry Medium Medium Medium Medium Wind Energy Development Low Medium Medium Low Aquatic Invasive Species High Medium Very High High Non-point Source Pollution Medium Medium Medium Medium Climate Change High Medium High Medium Mining Very High High High High High Coastal Terrestrial Habitats Threat Terrestrial Invasive Species Scope Severity Irreversibility Summary Threat Rating Medium Medium Medium Medium Oil Spills from Shipping and Refining Low Medium Medium Low Coastal Development Low High Medium Incompatible Forestry Medium Medium Medium Medium Wind Energy Development Low Low Climate Change Medium Medium Very High High Mining Low Low Very High Medium Medium High High 125 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Appendix F: Regional Summaries Table F.1: Biodiversity Targets and Linked Condition/Stress Indices Biodiversity Target Deepwater and Offshore Waters Nearshore Zone and Reefs Embayments and Inshore Coastal Wetlands Islands Coastal Terrestrial Habitats Tributaries and Watersheds Linked Condition/Stress Index Reference Great Lakes Cumulative Stress (GLEAM 2012, Allan et al 2013) Great Lakes Cumulative Stress (GLEAM 2012, Allan et al 2013) Great Lakes Cumulative Stress (GLEAM 2012, Allan et al 2013) Watershed Stress Index (GLEI 2013) Watershed Stress Index (GLEI 2013) Coastal Condition Index (developed for this report) Great Lakes Cumulative Stress (GLEAM 2012, Allan et al 2013) Coastal Condition Index (developed for this report) 12 Island Condition Score (Henson et al 2010) Coastal Condition Index (developed for this report) Watershed Stress Index (GLEI 2013) 12 The Island Condition Score (Henson et al 2010) was also used to assess the health of islands, but was not mapped The Coastal Stress Index provides similar results and provides a common measure for the coastal areas of islands and the mainland 126 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table F.2 Regional Average Values of the Watershed Stress Index Final Watershed Stress Index Score Regional Unit No Subwatershed Count Min Max Mean Sum S Dev Variance Score Relative Grade 92 0.000 0.754 0.2936 27.015 0.1423 0.0202 0.71 B 105 0.000 0.421 0.1426 14.973 0.1149 0.0132 0.86 A 116 0.000 0.482 0.1448 16.794 0.1139 0.0130 0.86 A 0.90 13 - - - - - - 54 0.000 0.626 0.2949 15.922 0.1253 0.0157 0.71 B 46 0.000 0.470 0.2419 11.129 0.1032 0.0106 0.76 B 100 0.000 0.640 0.1560 15.604 0.1886 0.0356 0.84 A 46 0.123 0.762 0.4646 21.370 0.1800 0.0324 0.54 C 109 0.130 0.629 0.4313 47.008 0.1138 0.0129 0.57 C 0.90 14 A 10 - - - - - - A 11 66 0.244 0.805 0.5756 37.992 0.1013 0.0103 0.42 C 12 42 0.109 0.846 0.6269 26.328 0.1501 0.0225 0.37 D 13 138 0.080 0.953 0.5624 77.613 0.1310 0.0171 0.44 C 14 23 0.087 0.632 0.4537 10.434 0.1641 0.0269 0.55 C 15 94 0.000 0.716 0.4044 38.018 0.2013 0.0405 0.60 B 16 223 0.000 0.900 0.5122 114.230 0.1648 0.0272 0.49 C 17 90 0.334 0.893 0.5793 52.140 0.0982 0.0096 0.42 C 18 120 0.147 0.709 0.4825 57.898 0.1187 0.0141 0.52 C 19 62 0.080 0.723 0.4801 29.766 0.1239 0.0154 0.52 C Categories use to convert numerical value into a grade: 80.0-100 A 60.0-79.9 B 40.0-59.9 C 0-39.9 D 13 14 Information not available for islands High relative value assigned due to high amount of natural cover Information not available for islands High relative value assigned due to high amount of natural cover 127 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table F.3 Regional Average Values of the Coastal Stress Index Final Coastal Stress Index Score Regional Unit No SubUnit Count Min Max Mean Sum S Dev Variance Score Relative Grade 52 19 42 40.0962 2085 4.6072 21.2259 0.955 A 108 36 42 41.7963 4514 0.8176 0.6684 0.995 A+ 104 41 42 41.9808 4366 0.1380 0.0190 1.000 A+ 38 39 42 41.9211 1593 0.4867 0.2368 0.998 A+ 119 33 42 41.8151 4976 0.9564 0.9147 0.996 A+ 133 32 42 41.8421 5565 1.0649 1.1340 0.996 A+ 204 31 42 41.7353 8514 1.1987 1.4370 0.994 A+ 68 12 42 39.6912 2699 6.0650 36.7838 0.945 A 37 36 42 41.1351 1522 1.5840 2.5090 0.979 A+ 10 110 42 42 42.0000 4620 0.0000 0.0000 1.000 A+ 11 15 27 42 39.4000 591 4.5795 20.9714 0.938 A 12 13 37 21.0000 84 10.8321 117.3333 0.500 C 13 38 22 42 40.1316 1525 4.5570 20.7660 0.956 A 14 37 42 40.8333 245 1.9408 3.7667 0.972 A+ 15 25 40 33.6000 168 6.3482 40.3000 0.800 A- 16 25 30 42 40.5600 1014 3.1236 9.7567 0.966 A 17 26 21 42 40.1154 1043 4.7860 22.9062 0.955 A 18 33 42 39.3750 315 3.2486 10.5536 0.938 A 19 14 15 42 35.2857 494 11.0274 121.6044 0.840 A Categories use to convert numerical value into a grade: 97.0-100 A+ 84.0-96.9 A 80.0-83.9 A60.0-79.9 B 40.0-59.9 C 0-39.9 D 128 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table F.4 Regional Average Values of the Great Lakes Stress Index Final Great Lakes Stress Index Regional Unit No Point Count Min Max Mean Sum S Dev Variance Score Relative Grade 1731 0.095 0.821 0.382 661.045 0.131 0.017 0.62 B 1118 0.037 0.913 0.383 428.606 0.151 0.023 0.62 B 282 0.067 0.851 0.267 75.234 0.199 0.040 0.73 B 810 0.000 0.402 0.101 81.745 0.066 0.004 0.90 A 344 0.014 0.985 0.478 164.382 0.192 0.037 0.52 C 940 0.062 0.942 0.410 384.936 0.209 0.044 0.59 C 1817 0.057 0.972 0.415 753.807 0.217 0.047 0.59 C 587 0.206 0.997 0.754 442.277 0.192 0.037 0.25 D 310 0.085 0.883 0.432 133.765 0.160 0.026 0.57 C 10 585 0.095 0.589 0.392 229.355 0.078 0.006 0.61 B 11 322 0.232 0.998 0.796 256.175 0.170 0.029 0.20 D 12 56 0.927 0.997 0.970 54.323 0.020 0.000 0.03 D 13 3155 0.032 0.992 0.429 1352.652 0.231 0.053 0.57 C 14 884 0.097 0.937 0.511 451.962 0.245 0.060 0.49 C 15 792 0.121 0.953 0.517 409.512 0.139 0.019 0.48 C 16 2390 0.030 0.938 0.345 823.901 0.175 0.031 0.66 B 17 1348 0.063 0.993 0.477 642.445 0.190 0.036 0.52 C 18 3017 0.031 0.932 0.444 1340.053 0.169 0.029 0.56 C 19 434 0.215 0.915 0.592 257.092 0.126 0.016 0.41 C Categories use to convert numerical value into a grade: 97.0-100 A+ 84.0-96.9 A 80.0-83.9 A60.0-79.9 B 40.0-59.9 C 0-39.9 D 129 Lake Superior Biodiversity Conservation Assessment: Final Draft, June 2013 Table F.5 Coastal Condition Index The following six measures were calculated and then assembled into a single index to assess the relative condition of each coastal unit Indicator Artificial shoreline within km of shoreline Natural land cover within km of shoreline Natural land cover from to km from shoreline Natural land cover within watershed Road density within km of shoreline (m road/ km ) Building density within 500 m of shoreline (number of buildings/km ) Poor- (0) Poor+ (1) Fair- (2) Fair+ (3) Good- (4) >60% 40-60% 35-40% 30-35% 25-30% Good+ (5) 20-25% 90% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% >90% 11601500 100-150 10011159 75-100 501-1000 251-500